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In January, former Swofford Career Center teacher Michael Cash accused the district of altering the grades of two students who were caught cheating on their final exam.

"I want one thing. I want those kids to get the grades they deserve," Cash told WYFF News 4 Investigates' Tim Waller.

In its response to the lawsuit, Spartanburg District One denied "it engaged in any wrongful act whatsoever."

It also denied "the court is justified to award any relief to Cash or that it violated his constitutional rights."

District officials also claim that "Cash acted unprofessionally and in disregard of the best interests of students."

Officials admit that they threw out the students' failing test scores as a "reasonable solution" to Cash's "mishandled" situation. Officials said by doing so, it resulted in a final grade average of 85 for one student and 82 for the other.

School district spokeswoman Cathy McMillan emailed a letter from the South Carolina Department of Education to Waller.

The letter states that the department's Certification Review Committee found no "just cause" to take disciplinary action against Spartanburg District One's educator certificate.

The district has filed a motion to have the case dismissed. It is also asking that the case be moved from state court to federal court.

John Reckenbeil, Cash's attorney, said the school district's legal response "doesn't make sense."

"How do you say someone is grossly derelict in their duties, but then you ask them not to resign?" Reckenbeil said, referring to a paragraph in the District's legal response in which Cash was asked to "reconsider his decision to resign."